Solar heat collectors have been provided employing tortuous flow paths such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,894,685 and 3,902,474. In each instance the tortuous flow path consists of a single passageway defined by upright baffles which serve to increase the area contacted and to which heat is imparted by the sun's rays. Due to the varying angles of incidence of the sun's rays, which vary from the North/South to East/West directions, since the baffles all are oriented in one or the other directions, there comes a time when the baffles are relatively ineffective to receive heat from the sun's rays. Moreover, the single flow path which consists of a single passageway is limited in surface area to receive heat from the sun's rays.
Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a solar heat collector including upright baffles in both the North/South and East/West directions defining a tortuous path consisting of a plurality of passageways.
Another important object of the invention is the provision of increased baffle surface area for receiving heat from the sun by dividing the serpentine path into a plurality of individual passageways. To thus employ a plurality of passageways within the tortuous path, a large volume of air may be transported in contact with a large surface area. Since the changes of direction preferably occur at right angles, smooth flow paths are broken up causing turbulance which is effective in breaking down the laminar areas closely adjacent the baffles thus effectively "scouring" the heat therefrom which has been imparted thereto by the sun's rays. While right angles are illustrated, any abrupt change of direction may be suitable, even sharply arcuate turns.